Brooks Thompson: UTSA will redshirt senior forward Jeromie Hill

UTSA coach Brooks Thompson said Tuesday that he plans to redshirt senior forward Jeromie Hill because of a troublesome right knee injury.

Although it’s unquestionably a blow to the team, the decision to shut down Hill for the season will help both the player and the UTSA basketball program in the long term, Thompson said.

UTSA will aim to get the native of Australia ready for 2014-15.

“It’s just best for him,” Thompson coach said. “You know, he’s not ready to go right now. Why wait until after Christmas (to bring him back)? He comes back and he won’t be in great condition. My thinking is, he’s not 100 percent right now.”

Winners of two games in a row, UTSA (3-6) will host Cal State Bakersfield (5-6) Wednesday night at the Convocation Center.

“He wants to be a great player, and obviously we want to do what is best for Jeromie Hill and our program,” Thompson said. “I think it’s best for both of us. I mean, he couldn’t play tomorrow if we asked him to.”

In an interview with the Express-News on Oct. 2, Hill said he had two surgeries on the right knee.

Initially, he hurt it last January and sat out six games.

After finishing the season, he underwent surgery to the posterior cruciate ligament. Hill rehabilitated over the summer and was running full speed when he suffered another mishap on the court in September.

As a result, he said he had another surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Hill, who has averaged 13 points and 6.5 rebounds in his career, has yet to return to form.

He hasn’t practiced at all with the team this fall.

UTSA senior guard Hyjii Thomas said he “hates” to think about playing his last year of college basketball without the 6-foot-8, 230-pound power forward.

“Umm, Jeromie’s a big part of this team,” Thomas said. “You know, it’s my senior year. I hate to go without him this year. I know he could make us that much better because he’s so versatile in what he can do.

“He can post up. Come outside. Shoot the mid-range. Shoot the three. That’s a big piece missing this year. But, you know, that’s why we have 13 players. Anybody can go down at any time.”

Essentially, UTSA is now without two of its top 13 players.

Guard Larry Lewis was ruled out with an unspecified injury before the start of the season. Now, both will need to wait until next season to take the floor.

In the past two games, a victory at home over Huston-Tillotson and a road win at UT-Pan American, the Roadrunners have started Keon Lewis at point guard, Thomas at shooting guard, Jordan Sims on the wing, fast-improving Phillip Jones at power forward and 7-foot center Kaj-Bjorn Sherman.

“I like the lineup the last couple of games,” Thompson said. “I really liked our approach to the Pan Am game. I mean, they’re upset they came to our place and beat us. (So) I really liked the mentality … the way they played there. Hopefully we can carry it over to tomorrow to a Cal State Bakersfield team that I think is pretty good.”

Keon Lewis (15.1 ppg) leads the team in scoring, and Thomas (14.6) is not far behind.

“Keon really has a knack for the game,” Thompson said. “He really knows how to play. He’s got a great feel for the game. He’s got a really high basketball IQ.

“You know, he’s gone through a lot of small injuries and hasn’t really been able to get himself into great condition yet, but he’s trying and doing some good things. You can’t teach instincts, and he’s got great instincts.”

Thompson said he thinks Thomas, one of the team’s best athletes on the wing, is playing a more cerebral game.

“I’m really proud of Hyjii because he’s been really thinking the game through and not just going 100 mph all the time,” the coach said. “He’s really been thinking and picking his spots, doing a better job and not turning it over the way he was earlier.

“You know, those guys have done a good job for us the last couple of weeks, for sure. With Hyjii being a senior, he really wants to win. He’s doing everything he can to get his team in position to win.”